Coal-bucket-dumping machine



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N. H. MCCL-EVEY COAL-BUCKET DUMPING MACHINE Filed July 26 1924 April 21 19.25.

April 21, 1925.

N. H. MCCLEVEY COAL BUCKET DUMPING MACHINE 2 Sh@ etgsheet 2 Filed July 26 a 1924 6 ZH ,f M n nm. M ,IM W M MQ Mg l ioV Patented Apr. 2l, 1925.

UNITED stares NORMAN n. Moennvnv, ou rnrnnsnune, rnniANA.

COAL-Buonnfr-nuivtrrne Macnlvn.

Application filed July 2G, 1924. Serial No. 728,314.

T0 all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, NORMAN H1 Mc# Cnnvnr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Petersburg, in the county of Pike and the State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Coal- Bucket-Dumping Machines, of which the following is a specification.V

This invention works in conjunction with the `coal loading bucket used in my improved coal mining system, for which l filed application for patent on July 14, 1924, Serial No. 725,352, and the object of the present invention is to transferthe coal from the bucket to cars for removal from the mine without spilling the coal, or delaying the return of the bucket for reloading.

A further object is'to provide a loading device which is so readily portable that it can be conveniently moved in keeping with the removal of the vein of coal being mined, and which can be easily adjusted to the different roof and iloor conditions of the mine.

I accomplish the above, and other minor objects incidental thereto which will hereinafter appear, by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which F ig. 1, is a side elevation of my invention with the bucket shown in position to dump its loady upon a conveyor tha-t discharges into a car. Fig. 2, is a top plan view of the same with the bucket removed and also showing the motor and mechanism for operating the conveyor. Fig. 3, is a cross section on the lines 3 3 of Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 4 4 of Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 5 is a section similar to one side of Fig. 3, but on a larger scale, and showing the conveyorr mechanism includingl its iianged wheels and their tracks. Fig. G is a fragment in top plan of the conveyor and F ig. 7 a side elevation of same. Fig. 8, is a perspective view of the rear portion of the conveyor showing the jack-pipes for raising and lowering same. Fig. 9, is a side elevation of my bottomless bucket open at the front end. 10 is a top plan view of same and Fig. 11, is a front end view of the bucket.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views of the drawings.

Coal to be loaded on car 12 is gathered in a bucket 13, which is drawn toward the car by a cable 14, one end of which is hitched to the front end of the bucket, and the other end is made fast to and is wound upon the rotating drum of a hoisting machine not shown) which may be located at one side as indicated in Fig. 2 by the aid of an idler pulley in block 15, or which may be in directV alineinent with the travel of the bucket. A second cable 16, has one end fastened to the rear vof the bucket. It passes thence to and around a tail-block (not shown) beyond the far limit of travel of the bucketk and thence yaround the idler pulley in block 15, and thence to a second rotating drum of the hoisting` machine, upon which drum it is wound in a manner to move the bucket 13 away from car 12.

My loading device is mounted on a rectangular metal base frame 17 on which are two opposite substantialstandards 18, supported by diagonal braces 19. These standards are connected by a channel bar 20, from which jackepipes 21, 21, entend in opposite oblique directions to the roof as braces to hold the device securely where it is placed. Fastened to the bar 20 is a plate 22, with holes for the attachment thereto of pulley block 15, wheny the hoisting engine is located laterally, to right or left, of frame 17. Each' side of the frame `17 also supports the opposite end standards 23 and intermediate standards 24. Jack-pipes 21, 21, are shown as extending from standard 23 diagonallyto the roof to additionally hold the frame.

Angle bars 24, are rigidly attached to each set of standards 23, 24, and 18, presenting lower inside flanges which help to form bucket slides. These bars start from about the mid-height of standards 23 and slope upwardly as shown to standardslS, and the spaces above thebars are closed by side plates 25, to keep coal that may be pushed ahead of the bucket from spilling out.

Riveted or otherwise securely fastened to the lower flanges of the bars 24, 24, are the respective metal plates which have horizontal portions 26 to complete the bucket slides at these locations, inwardly oblique portions 27 acting like hopper sides to concentrate the coal, and vertical portions 2S, to lap with marginalconveyor flanges and prevent coal spillage there. A pit is thus formed in the oblique bottoni supported by the angle bars 24 into which coal, conveyed -D anni there in the bottomless bucket lil, is ciscnarged by grai'iity. The end of approach to the pit has the oblique hopper formation Q9 adjacent the standards 2?).

A sloping floor 30, extends from the mine floor to the floor plate 3l, supported by the angle bars Q4, and the floor 30 has vertical sides 32, 32, that diverge froinvstandards 23 to provide a flaring approach that will cover a wider bucket path than an approach would. that was not soflared, and thereby directs the bucket to the dumping pit above, from any line oftr vel thatthe bucket may be taking. A pair of angle-bars 4t2. 42, with inturned lower flanges form a track for the rollers of a linked metal-plate conveyor, and a like lower pair of angle-bars 4F53, 4:3, forni the return track.

A rear conveyor boem has its outer end swingingly adjust-able in a vertical plane, from the rear end of the pit, opposite standards 18, and terminating above a car l2, which is one of a series of cars to be loaded with coal for conveyance on a track 35 to the h-oisting shaft and thence out of the mine, vin the usual manner.

A pair of channel bars 36 extend longitudinally of the boom and s rving upon the rollers 37. Sheet metal sides having vertical members 38 and dowinvardly sloping members S7 tern'iinating between the conveyor flanges, are secured by angle plates 39 to theitopi ofthe respective channel bars 3G. Angle bars ll are secured to the channel bars 36 and form a track for the top members of the4 conveyor.

,Anglebars/ltl, are secured by plates 4S, to the-under fiangesofl the respective bars 36, with the channels of bars l0 turned inwardly so their lower flanges form` a track for the conveyor in its'return.

A pair of jaclpipes 2l, one for each side ofthe boom, bear upon the frame IT, and against the bars 40. They ha Tewheels connected by a sprocket chain LIl', whereby the screws will `be operated simultaneously and the same, to raise or lower the boomto suit varying floor and roof conditions of the mme.

A continuous conveyor formed of metal plates 4A, riveted at one edge of each plate to a shaft 45, and united by links 4G, has flanged rollers Lt?, mounted on the projecting ends of the shafts 45. The rollers in the. upper portion ofthe conveyor, travel upon the tracks l2 and 40, andin the lower portion of the conveyor the rollers travel in atreverse direction upon the tracks 4l and 'Ihe plates are preferably curved transversely inthe .usual manner, to pass freely around the end wheels, and are curved near their longitudinal edges to fit close to the shaft; they also have endflanges 4:8, to aid in preventing.spillage of coal between the conveyor and the adjacent hopper sides.

The upper end ofthe conveyor passes around wheels 5l on a shaft `5f), supported in bearings on the channel bars 36, and the lower end of the conveyor passes around wheels 52 on a shaft 53, supported in bearings mounted on the base frame 17 and on a frame extension 5% from the latter. The shaft 5o Vis in two parts which are united by a friction clutch 55, manipulated by a handlever 55, andthe shaft is driven from a motor 5T Vin any usual and suitable manner.

The operation of my invention is as follows: Coal gathered in the bucket 13 is drawn by cable la to and up the inclined .floor 30. rIhe flaring` sides 32 direct the bucket between the side plates rIhe travel of the bucket -is continued to the position in which it isshown in Fig. l, which is over the pit in the floor supporting the bucket, and the coal in the latter is deposited by gravity upon the endless conveyor at the bottom of the pit. The bucket is Vthen returned without delay for refilling, and the travel of the conveyor carries the coal deposited upon it from the bucket upwardly of the boom and atthe turn of the conveyor drops it off into a car below which has been pushed into right position to secure it.

`The movement of the conveyor is always under control by an operator stationed at the hand lever 56, so that when a car is full the conveyor is unclutched from the motor and stops:discharging coal until the full car is replaced with an empty one. Spillof coal at the sides of the conveyor is pre-vented bythe guards, as described.

llfhen coal is to be gathered from positions too `far to one side of my apparatus for convenient operation thereof, as the progressive working of the mine will make of frequent occurrence, the jack-pipes' to the roof and other anchorages, if any, will be removed and a hit-ch of the bucket-ropes made to thebase fra-me, and thereupon the loading device as a unit will befhauled over to such new position asimaybe desired, and there held by replacing the jack-pipes and other stays.

1While I have here shown and described my invention in detail, it is obvious that many variations in structure are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I therefore do not desire to be limited to the construction shown, or to any precise form-more than is required by the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a coal'gathering and loading device, a bottomless bucket in Vwhich the coal is gathered and transported by sliding the bucket over a surface, raised floor having a pit over which the bucket is slidingly moved and its contents discharged by gravity into the pit, an inclined surface from the floor of the mine to the raised floor having raised llO sides that converge toward the raised oor and an endless apron conveyor at the bottom of the pit receiving and transferring the coal and discharging it at its return end.

Q. In a coal gathering and loading dei vice, a bottomless bucket in which the coal is gathered and transported by sliding the bucket over a surt'ace, a raised floor having a pit over which the bucket is slidingly moved and its contents discharged by gravity into the pit, an inc-lined surface from the lioor oit the mine to the raised floor having raised sides that converge toivard the raised floor, and an endless apron conveyor at the bottom oit the pit receiving and transferring the coal and discharging it at its return end, said conveyor having outward marginal flanges and iixed sides cooperating therewith to prevent spillage oi coal laterally of the conveyor.

In a coal gathering and loading device, a coal gathering bucket having means for discharge through its bottom, av floor raised above the mine `floor having a pit and raised sides, a sloping approach from the mine floor to the raised floor having raised sides Which converge to the raised sides of the raised floor, a conveyor apron extending under the pit and receiving coal discharged through the bottom ot the bucket when the bucket is on the raised floor, said apron having marginal iian'es, and cooperating plates depending from the rest et the machine to prevent spillage oit coal laterally of the conveyor.

il. In a coal gathering and loading device, a coal gathering bucket having an open front and bottom, a ioor raised above the floor of the mine having a pit and raised sides, a sloping approach from the mine floor to the raised 'loor contracting in Width toward the latter and having yraised sides, means for sliding the bucket along the mine floor and up the approach to a position over the pit in the raised iioor, a travelling endless conveyor at the bottom of the pit scour ing the coal discharged therein from the bucket and conveying it above and discharging it into a car, the discharge end of the conveyor being vertically adjustable to vary` ing mine root' and floor conditions.

5. ln a coal gathering and loading device, a coal gathering bucket having an open front and bottom, a lioor raised above the floor of the mine having a pit and raisedk sides, a sloping approach from the mine floor to the raised floor contracting in vvidth to` Ward the Vlatter and having raised sides, means for sliding the bucket along the mine floor and np the approach to a position 'over the pit in the raised iioor, a travelling endless conveyor at the bottom of the pit secnr` ing the coal discharged therein from the bucket and conveying it above and discharging it into a car, the discharge end of the conveyor being vertically adjustable to varying mine root and iioor conditions, and

means for stopping the travel oit the con` f veyor at the will oin an operator. f

Signed at indianapolis, in the county oit Marion, and State of lindiana, this 24th day of July, 1921i.

NCR-MAN H. MCCLEVEY. 

